Method of and apparatus for scouring wool



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. LEONARD METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCOURING WOOL Filed April 17, 1945 May 25, 1948;

y 215,, 1948- O B. LEONARD 2,442,012

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCOURING WOOL Filed April 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .JQ) A L:

May 25, 1948. B. LEONARD METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCOURING WOOL Filed April 17, 1945 5 Shegts-Sheetfi lmllllllll has:

IIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH Patented May 25, 1948 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCOURlNG WOOL Bryan Leonard, Pembroke, Mass.

Application April 17, 1945, Serial No. 588,849

7 Claims.

The time-honored apparatus for scouring wool comprises a series of bowls or long tanks, each containing a bath of securing liquid. Each bowl is equipped with a false bottom consisting of a screen located horizontally below the surface of the bath, and also with rakes which are operated mechanically to advance or feed the wool slowly toward its delivery end. At the latter end the wool is fed between squeeze rolls and from there it drops into the next bowl ahead of it in the series. At the last tank in the line the squeeze rolls deliver the wool to a conveyor which carries it through a drying mechanism.

Apparatus of this type has been in use for a great many years and it is still the equipment commonly used in most, if not all, of the larger wool scouring plants.

The present invention aims to improve both the methods of, and the apparatus for, scouring wool, with a view to increasing the efiiciency of the prior art processes and mechanisms, and correspondingly reducing the expense of the scouring operation.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, andthe novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a scouring apparatus or mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention;

I Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially on the line 22, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section on about the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

According to the method provided by this invention, the wool is floated in a scouring liquid in a bowl, and while it is floating it is propelled by directing jets or sprays of scouring liquid against it at such an angle asto move it in the desired direction. It is moved through the bowl in this manner, then passed between squeeze rolls, and these operations are repeated in subsequent bowls until the desired degree of scuring has been attained.

I have discovered that this method of handling the wool and directing the securing liquid against it, results in a surprising reduction in the length of time required to complete the scourmaterials, open these masses quickly, increases the rate of separation of the heavy waste mate'- rials from the wool, and promotes the penetration of the scouring solution into both these materials and the fiber itself. The result is an increase in the amount of work performed by the solution'in a given time, with a consequent reduction in the total period necessary for the scouring operation, and a reduction in the space required for the completion of this process.

The novel mechanism'shown in the drawings for practicing this method comprises a bowl or tank 2 which may, for example, be in the neighborhood of twelve feet long and made in much the same manner as are the conventional "bowls. It is provided with dirt collecting pockets 3-45, each of an inverted pyramidal form of rectangular cross-section in which the solids settle out and collect. Also supported in the bowl below the liquid level is the usual perforated false'bottom or screen 4 which runs the greater part of the length of the tank. This may consist of wire mesh but, more commonly, is a perforated 'metal plate.

Wool is delivered to this bowl either directly from an opening machine or through a mechanical feeder, as desired. Usually the'opening room is located above the scouring room and the wool is fedto the bowls by gravity through chutes, such as that indicated rather diagrammatically at 5 in Fig. 2. The scouring liquid is maintained at an approximately constant level, about as indicated in Fig. 2, and the locks of wool, after entering the bowl, are acted upon immediately by a rotating immersion wheel 6 having blades which force the wool downwardly into the bath, the roll also serving to give the wool an initial forward feeding movement that brings it into the range of the spraying apparatus.

This apparatus comprises several spray pipes 1 extending entirely across the bowl from one side thereof to the other, all connect'ed'to a common header 8 located at one side of the machine. The scouring liquid is forced through these pipes by a centrifugal pump l0 driven by an electric motor ll, preferably of the variable speed type. A valve l 2 is included in the riser from the pump to the header 8 for controlling the volume of flow. While any'suitable form of spray nozzle can be used in the pipes I, one that has provided very satisfactory consists simply of a curved tapered plate I3, secured fast on the pipe, the latter having a hole through it under the" plate at such an angle that the liquid, issuing from it under considerable pressure, strikes the plate 'lii and the latter breaks it up into a wide, well dispersed spray.

These pipes I are connected to the header 8 through slip joint unions, or equivalent connections, so that the angle at whlchthe spray ole separated by awertiealescreendfi', is pnsitionedcbestrikes the surface of the securing liquid and the wool floating on it, can be adjusted at will simply by turning the pipe around it own axis. Usually the nozzles oil the extreme le'ft-ha'nd-pipe l are adjustedat asteeper angle, or one more nearly vertical to the surface of the bath, than are the others, so that as the locks of wool come under "lbox.

conducted by a pipe 36, extending across and unthe first line of jets, they are momentarily I driven down substantially to the screen llowever, this spray imparts some forward component of motion to the wool, and the others aredirected less steeply so that as the floating woolipasses in to the range of successive lines of jets or sprays, it is propelled by them through the-bowl,

When the wool reaches the delivery end of the bowl it comes tuto -contact with the surface of a transferring roll -I '4 which :is revolvedslowly in a clockwise. direction; Fig. 2. It has a peripheral surface consisting-ofajperforated plateor screen so th at'the scouring liquid can flow'freely through it,but'it-fls-zmounted in, and partially encircled by,

ianzimpenforateshell-or casing -I5,'the left-hand :edge of which :is-shghtly below the surface level V the bath, :but the opposite -edge is above said level. .iAperforatedypipe ltrextendsthroughthis roll andrconductswsceuringliquidfrom itthrough pipe connection :11 vwhichedeliver it 'i-nto the s-u-pplementaltanki It. The rate of discharge issuch that the :liquid level m the roll is slightly lower 7 than that-outside .of zit, so thatthe-re'is an inflow 4 V side the bowl 2. Leading into the bottom of the intake section of this box is a pipe 39 which extends across the bowl below the screen 4; as shown in Fig.2, theipipe being perforated on its lower side'so that liquid .fromthe bowlican flow freely into it and will be delivered by it to the screen The liquid flowingthroughtne screen is Alierneath the bowl; to the intake side of the pump fill where it is forced into the spray pipe. A steam "in letp'ipe's-fi", Fig.1, may be connected in to the" spine 35, if desired to supply heat to the liquid bei'or'eitgoe's to th'e'nozzles.

Thedmmersion roll 6 is driven by its own motor 3! through a variable speed mechanism 32 and V belt connections to the shaft 33' of this roll.

The dirt collecting pockets .33. and that rat a the bottom of the supplemental tank' It, are

' flfhe' parti'cular soire'eze roll mechanism shown is one imanuf'actured' Tfand' "sold by "Proctor '& Se waTtz of 'Phi'lade nhianand need not be describedibecause any other suitableform 10f squeeze "roll mechanism *canb'e subst tuted for it. It is man electricmotor 25.'either of the -varifable'speedtyne. ore sethroi-igh-a variable speed mechanism. Tao-that ithe speed "of rotation of the SIIllFZQ rolls "can 'be a'diusted. was de red. Also, surbcket "and"chain connections 25. Fig; 1, from the squeeze rolts a t' to the-transfer roll l1! nd-rive the iatter. Suitable connections-can also be made :to' ooerate the' vibrating :mechanismdor the feed a plateau this same-motor.

iAt'the deliverv end of the-bowl a weir-.2 1, Fig. 2. its nrovlde'd, this" welrxbfiei-ne adjustable to controlithe levelnf the:lioui'drln the bowl; Any liquid 7 flowing cover the-weirfdrops-"on to the apron -29 EfinWs'into thersupplemental tank 11-8." From tthe :la tter it may' eItherwbe-tearried through cpi-p'esc'cn zrections, partlyshow-n :at :2-8, to the counterspump '(ndt i showni' :throufgh' piping (not ishown) and is returned-inito the'bowl 2 through eaitperrorated pipe AlJ; ortoanother'bowl. -0r it :m-ay lee-handled in any other -desiredmanner; is 1 wlt'ile' thefiliiidifeditoithe spraymipes l may be liquid takenftromairresheseureenfsupply; it is usua l-ly foundpreferable'rto re-circulateiiiquid taken from the bowl 2 itself throughthe'spraying 7 -ForthlsprifpbEea'screehbox axing.

were the intake "outlet tsection's' "are i equipped with dump valves 31, connected with hand levers '38, by means of which they may b t V operated atintervals. V v

' As above stated, several of these bowls are cus- Y tomarily-arranged end to end in a series entrain. Inthe conventional systems used heretofore it has been common .tolemploy five or six long bowls, all connected together so that the wool l treated in .oneis transferredto thenext onein' front of it. In the last bowl itis a common p ace tice'in commission scouring to use a bleaching solution, and'in that immediately preceding it the l rinsing operationusually is performed. Also, in

the customary arrangement .fresh water is added continuously to-the- -rinsing bowl, :and all 'of the bowls are vconnectedatogether by spipes in such a manner .tha'tthe .overfiowiromone is delivered to the'bowl next behind it, but theoverfiow f rom the first bowl in 'the seriesvis centrifuged andmay or may not be returned to this or any .other bowl; 7

.This arrangement maintains substantially the same liquid level .in'all the bowls, and it is em- .ployed with bowls operated in accordance with the presentinven'tion, butsuch an arrangement has not been illustrated because it is common .in this art. With the present arrangement in which the K drip from the squeeze rolls is collectedin'the sup- .plemental tank I8; it is preferable. to lprovide. a single pump (not shown) to take the overflow from the preceding bowl in the line, together with that frointhe tan'klB and to .force-itlnto thenext bowl behind itat liijFig. 1. Thisistrueasto-all scouring howls except the first one in the series, that is; the one .in whichrthe Woolls initially'deliver-ed .for scouring. That bowLalso, .is equipped withsa head x138, but it receives the overflow;

fromits own bowl, and the pipe .connections leading from .it' conduct such overflow to the grease tank where it later is centrifuged or otherwisetreated to recover thelgrease.

lt shouldalso-be understood-that ture of the baths in the several bowls should be carefully controlled, a temperature of; being about as high as it is safe to use. With the c present-arrangement, however, it has been found that the temperature can-be lowered to 1 0 F;;-0r' 7 less, while producing even better results 'tha those obtained in -=prior art apparatus.

. The pressure carried t-ln the-zspray pipes-canbe'l adjusted "by the eontrolvalve 12 and by-the vari able speed drive forthe pump lllf to'rsuit the rere uirements cf-the particular grade of wool' being J'treate'd. :A=-pressure of between .five and twenty poundszhas'proved to be satisfactory; Usually a pressure of .tenjpoundseisample with' nozzle :open- I ings-onemuarter ofean inch in diameter-in anzineh t,

zandahalfznozzlegpipe. V.

metembemi Important advantages of this invention are:

(1) The wool is opened much more rapidly, and a far more complete separation of the dirt and grease from it is produced in the first bowl than has been possible heretofore. And this result can be accomplished with a proportion of alkali and soap in the scouring liquor considerably lower than has been customarily used. This early separation of the heavy foreign material, particularly the dung and urine, is valuable in preventing the discoloration of the wool which otherwise would be produced by these materials. They naturally tend to dye the wool in the same way that butternut dyes were used in colonial times.

(2) It aifords complete control of the work done at every stage of the process. This control is provided partly by the fact that all of the elements which affect the rate of movement of the wool through the apparatus are under control. And this applies not only to the mechanically driven elements, but also to the jets or sprays because the number used, the amount of liquid pumped through them, the pressure maintained on them, and the angle at which they operate, are all adjustable.

(3) A much quicker and deeper penetration of the scouring material into the fiber is obtained early in the process. This action assists the subsequent squeezing step in eliminating impurities before the wool is transferred to the next succeeding step.

(4) The scouring apparatus is much simplified from a mechanical standpoint. This, in turn, reduces installation and maintenance expenses as it eliminates the usual rakes, cams, gears, etc.

(5) The over-all efiiciency of the installation is greatly improved. At least a 50% increase in production can be realized from a single train or series of these bowls, even with a shorter length of train than with the conventional system.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred form of apparatus for practicing the method provided by this invention, it will be evident that the invention is not limited to embodiment in the particular form shown. For example, the transfer of the wool from the range of operation of the spraying apparatus to the squeeze rolls in any individual bowl, may be performed in other ways. Some scourers may prefer to use a crab rake mechanism like that now in common use in scouring bowls to accomplish this transferring operation. These and other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

While this invention has been directed primary to the solution of problems arising in connection with the scouring of wool, it has also been found that the same method and apparatus can be used very advantageously in the operations of carbonizing, neutralizing, and otherwise treating wool in liquid agents. Also, the invention is equally useful in treating other textile fibers which will float and are of such length that they can be handled in essentially the same manner as wool. The scouring operation with which this invention was initially concerned is fundamentally one of cleaning in a liquid agent. But the same is true of scouring and bleaching cotton and performing similar operations, but perhaps with dilferent liquids, on other textile fibers. Acccrdingly, the term wool, as h'ereinaiter use d in the claims, should be understood to include these other fibers which can be handled by the method of this invention and in apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. Also, the liquid agents used in'operating on these other fibers should be understood to be the equivalent of the scouring liquid called for by the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. That improvement in methods of scouring wool, comprising the steps of floating the wool in a bath of scouring liquid under such conditions that the dirt can settle freely out of the upper part of said bath, propelling the wool through said bath by directing a series of well-dispersed sprays of such liquid against it from -a series of points above the level ofsaid bath and at such an angle as to force the wool in the desired direction and to subject the wool to a scouring action. the wool floating freely except as the action of said sprays may momentarilyv sub-merge it.

2. That improvement in methods of scouring wool, comprising the steps of floatin the wool in a bath of scouring liquid under such conditions that the dirt can settle freely out of the upper part of said bath, propelling the wool through said bath by directing a series of well-dispersed sprays of such liquid against it from points above a series of the level of said bath and at such an angle as to force the wool in the desired direction, and to subject the wool to a scouring action, the wool floating freely except as the action of said sprays may momentarily submerge it, squeezing the scouring liquid out of the wool, and repeating these steps until the scouring operation has proceeded to the desired point.

3. That improvement in methods of scouring wool, comprising the steps of floating the wool in abath of scouring liquid under such conditions that the dirt can settle freely out of the upper part of said bath, propellin the wool through said bath by directing a series of welt-dispersed sprays of such scouring liquid against it from a series of points above the surface of said bath and at such an angle as to force the wool in the desired'direction, and to subject the wool to a scouring action, leaving the locks of wool free to move under the action of the bath and the sprays of said liquid and controlling the rate of movement of the wool through said bath, by regulating the pressure of the spray used in propellin it, the wool floating freely except as the action of said sprays may momentarily submerge it.

4. That improvement in methods of scouring wool, comprising the steps of floating the wool in a bath of scouring liquid under such conditions that the dirt can settle freely out of the upper part of said bathv propelling the wool through said bath by directing a series of well-dispersed sprays of such'soouring liquid, against it from a series of points above the surface'of said bath and at such an angle as to force the wool in the desired direction and to subject the wool to a scouring action, the wool floating freely except as the action of said sprays may momentarily submerge it, and controlling the rate of movement of the wool through said bath by adjusting the angles at which the sprays strike the wool.

5. A wool scouring apparatus for scouring wool and simultaneously floating the wool ina bath under such conditions'that the dirt can freely settle out of said bath, comprising a scouring bowl adapted to hold a bath of scouring liquid, means ior maintainin said liquid at approximately'a predetermined level in said bowl, ascreen extend ing approximately across the bowl where it forms a false bottom positioned beneath the level of V said liquid as maintained by. said liquid level maintaining means to permit substantially all the wool to float above andout of contact with said screen, dirt collecting means located beneath said false bottom, said bowl having substantially parallel sides above said screen extending lengthwise of said bowl whereby thewool'locks may float freely through most of the length of said bowl without increasing or diminishing the confinement by the sides of said bowl, means for subjecting the wool to a scouring action but permitting free floating except as the action of said means may momentarily submergethe wool and for propelling the wool lengthwise of said bowl, the last mentioned means comprising a plurality of series of spray nozzles, each series extending transversely across said bowl and thedifierent series being spaced from each other lengthwise of the bowl, means mounting each of said series of spray nozzles above the level of the liquid as maintained by said liquid level maintaining means, said nozzle's'being directed so as to cause the wool locks to move longitudinally of said bowl and forming the sole means for causing said wool to movefrom substantially one end to nearly the other end of said bowl, said nozzles including 7' means for causing the sprays to be broken-up into well-dispersed form, whereby substantially all of a the wool locks will be scoured and moved thereby substantially from one end nearly to the'other end of said bowl without being submerged except as above stated, whereby it may'fioat out of contact with said false bottom "thereby preventing impedance of its movementby said ialse bottom.

6. A wool scouring apparatus for scouring'wool and simultaneously floating the wool in a bath under such conditions, that the dirt canfreely settle out of'said bath, comprising a scouring bowl adapted to hold abath of scourin liquid, means for maintaining said liquid at approximately a 7 mounting each of said series of spraynozzles a means for causing 'said wool to move from sub nearly to the other end of said bowl without being submerged except as above stated, whereby it may float out of contact with saidialse bottom there- 7 by preventing impedance of its movement by said false bottom. V a V 7. A woolscouring apparatus for securing wool" and simultaneously floating the wool in a bath under such'conditions thatithe' dirt can freely settle out of said bath, comprising a scouring bowl adapted to hold a bath of scouring liquid, means a for maintaining said liquid atapproximately a predetermined level in saidbowl, a screen extend ing approximately across the bowl where it forms a false bottom positioned beneath the level of said liquid as maintained by said liquid level maintaining means to permit substantially allthe wool to float above and out of contact with said screen,

dirt collecting means located beneath said'false' I bottom, said bowl having substantially parallel sides above said screen extending lengthwise of said bowl whereby the'wool locks. may float freely through most of the length of said bowl without increasing or diminishing the confinement by the 7 sides of said bowl, means for subjecting the wool to a scouring action but permitting free floating except as the action of said means may momentarily submerge the Wool and for propelling the wool lengthwise of said bowLthe last mentioned means comprising a plurality of series of'spray nozzles, each series extending transversely across said bowl and the diiferentiser'ies being spaced from each other lengthwise of the bowl, means above the level of the liquid as maintained by said liquid level maintaining-means, saidinozzles being directed so as to cause the wool locks to move longitudinally of said bowland forming the sole stantially one'end to nearly th'e'otherendof :said

predetermined level in said bowl, a screen having a a surface which is spaced substantially uniformly below the level of the liquid in the bowl forming a a false bottom positioned beneath the level 10f said liquid as maintained'by said liquid level maintaining means to permit substantially all bowl, said nozzles including means forcausing the sprays to be broken up into well-dispersed form,

whereby substantially all of the woollocks will be secured and moved thereby substantially from i. one end nearly to the other end oisaid bowl withthe wool 'to float above and out of contact with e 7 said screen, dirt collecting means located beneath said falsebottom, said bowlrhaving substantially parallel sides above said screen extending length wise of said bowl whereby the wool locks may float freely through most of the length of said bowl without increasing or diminishing the confinement by the sides ofsaid bowLmeans for subject;

' in the wool to .a scouring action but permitting free floating except as the actionofsaidmeans may momentarily submerge the W00l:a,!ld for propelling the wool lengthwise tofsaid bowl; the last i mentioned means comprising a plurality of series of spray nozzles, each *series extending trans-i versely across said bowl and being spaced from each other lengthwise ofthe bowl, means mounting each of said series of spray nozzles above the level ofthe liquid as maintained by said liquid level maintaining means, said nozzles beingidis rected so as to cause the wool locks to move longitudinally of said bowl and forming the'sole means for causing said wool to move from substantially J oneiend to nearly the other endrofsaid bowLsaid nozzles including means for; causing the sprays" to be broken up into Well-dispersed form, whereby substantially all of the woollocks will be scoured and moved thereby substantiallyfrom one end out being submerged except as above stated, whereby it may fioatcut (if-contact with saidfalse bottom thereby preventing impedance of its move, ment by said false bottom, and mechanical means at the delivery end of the bowlfor taking thewool out of the bowl and for delivering the same, to

additional apparatus.

REFERENCES, oi'rnn j The iollowin'g're'ferences are of record in the file of this patent V I n 1 UNITED STATES perm-ire Number V BRYAN LEONARD. f

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,442,012. May 25, 1948.

BRYAN LEONARD It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 6, line 26, claim 2, strike out the words a series of and insert the same before points in line 25, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of July, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS IF. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

